In the early days of death metal, when it was a hybrid of heavy metal and hardcore punk, it was widely viewed as technically incompetent especially by the jazz, rock, blues, and emo punk audience that was dominating record stores at the time. A few death metal bands set out to prove them all wrong, including Sadist, who kindly agreed to an interview for our readers, many of whom are Sadist fans.

We spoke (virtually) with guitarist/composer Tommy Talamanca and vocalist Trevor Nadir about the history of the band, its current direction, and how it all fits into the larger experience that is death metal music.

Back when Sadist Above the Light was new, death metal was still defining itself back in 1993, and having a band that sounded like classic progressive rock from the 60s-70s merged with the second Morbid Angel album was still sort of a jolt awake to the ears. What inspired Sadist to take this path?

Tommy: literally, we have always composed and played the music we liked, and since we don’t like just one musical genre, as good Italians we have chosen from a very wide menu :) Sure, the focus has always been hard rock, but becoming just another copy of some American or English band wasn’t interesting for us.

What classic progressive rock bands would you say inspired Sadist at that time?

Tommy: All European prog music from the 70s in general, especially Italian, most likely Goblin and Le Orme. I would say that EL&P can also be considered a strong influence: Tarkus is probably the best progressive albums in history and one of the most important albums in music of the last 100 years.

The current rendition of Sadist on Something to Pierce sounds a lot more like a modern metal band, somewhere between Pantera and Brutal Truth or Tool, mixed with an atmospheric jam band who write surprisingly addictive solos. Did your influences change or are you going in your own direction? What sort of metal/rock-related stuff are you guys listening to now?

Tommy: Even though we love bands like AC/DC or Slayer, who maintain a strong connection with a very well-defined sound, that’s not the formula we want to use for Sadist. From the very beginning, the characteristic of the approach to composition in Sadist has always been linked to the idea of ​​continuous evolution, and when we understand that a certain vein has run out, we look for a new one. In this sense Something to Pierce is the natural evolution of Firescorched, so, if another Sadist album comes out in the future, expect something very different!

Did you use current technology to record the latest album and if so, how has this changed how you compose and record?

Tommy: Since the early 2000s, Sadist have been recording at the Nadir Music studio in Genoa and, as is evident, this recording studio has also evolved over the years. Although, to tell the truth, since the Tribe era (1995/1996) the process of composing is more or less the same: first, I develop demos of the songs that I then submit to Trevor, and together, with his lyrics, we work on the vocal arrangements. When the songs start to take form, the rest of the band gets involved in the process, and after a while we return to the studio for the pre-productions.

The solos seem to have moved from a more frenetic Robert Fripp vibe to development of melodic themes Eric Clapton-style, as if the solos were little compositions in themselves set on the backdrop of a death metal, hardcore, and fusion hybrid. What made you all develop your songwriting in this way?

Tommy: I grew up as a guitarist in the 80s, but that era is long gone, and in the meantime, working a lot in the studio as an arranger and producer in many different musical genres, my focus has shifted from the guitar to the composition in its entirety. Today for me what really matters is the song, its vibes, beyond the technique.

Is there a tour in the future? Do you see touring as essential to the Sadist experience?

Trevor: In the near future we will do some open air events, in Italy and Europe. These days, however, we are finalizing the contractual issues for a European tour that will see us engaged in September and October 2025. Other things will be planned to follow, such as a second tour in the western part of Europe next winter. For bands playing live is too important, it’s certainly the best chance to promote the new album. It is also the favorite thing of all musicians. The warmth of the audience, meeting new people is a beautiful thing, very educational. We can’t wait to meet our people!

How do you all manage being in a death metal band for thirty-four years now? Do you have day jobs in different industries and commute to a practice space, or just text-message each other MP3s back and forth?

Tommy: I started a recording studio in the middle 90s, and little by little I went from being a simple musician to a 360-degree music worker. I think if I had to find a “normal” job, I wouldn’t have been able to continue playing professionally with Sadist. A similar choice was that of Trevor, who began, parallel to his entry into Sadist in 1997, his activity as a promoter and music press office.

Trevor: Me and Tommy were lucky, we managed to turn our passion into a job. Believe me, having a job you like is a beautiful thing. It’s never a burden to get up in the morning and start working. Many people, especially years later, would have made different choices, perhaps preferring a certain salary, but our choice was to follow our heart and this has paid off over the years. We can say that we were tenacious. As always, work pays off, determination certainly is the passion with which you do things.

Are any of you fans of classical? It is clear that you have jazz or jazz-fusion at least in your backgrounds somewhere. What inspires you in those genres? Any big influences?

Tommy: I love baroque music, and classical music in general, while I’m not a big fan of jazz music, even if, being a predominantly electric guitarist, I have studied the most important jazz and fusion guitarists a lot. If I had to name a main source of influence, I would definitely say Bach, who, by the way, is the main influence of all European music of the last four centuries.

How do fans keep track of what you are doing and stay on top of news from the Sadist camp?

Tommy: you can check our official site: https://www.sadist.it/, there you can find all the necessary links to all the band’s activities

I bought my copy (as I probably bored you by mentioning) at Wild Rags back in the 1990s and was thrilled to have it. Did you know Richard C? Who else in the underground did you correspond with?

Tommy: The current death metal scene developed in the late 80s and, at that time, without the mass diffusion of the world wide web, and especially without the current saturation of the musical offer, those who were part of that scene, who were not as numerous as today, were often in contact with each other. Some of today’s big players were smaller back then, and getting in touch was paradoxically easier even without the internet.

What other progressive metal albums, especially progressive death metal, do you consider inspiring or essential?

Trevor: It’s difficult to say what progressive death metal is. If by prog death we mean albums like: Human and Individual Thought Patterns by Death or Piece of Time by Atheist, Spheres by Pestilence, The Key by Nocturnus, and Focus by Cynic, then these are certainly among my favourites. However in the second wave I appreciated bands such as: Obscura, Opeth, and Beyond Creation. But honestly I’ve never made any big distinctions, all these bands are part of death metal, my favorite genre and that’s what matters! Stay Brutal \m/

Thanks to Sadist for taking the time to do this interview, and for the decades of prog and metal music!

Tags: death metal, interview, Progressive Death Metal, progressive rock, sadist